The winners of last week’s drawing for the $10 Amazon gift cards are Laura McClellan and Carole Walker!!
I am pleased to welcome Johnnie Alexander Donley to my blog today. I met Johnnie on line in 2009 on an ACFW Critique loop, and our friendship has grown and grown and grown. We met in person in February, 2010 and then again at the ACFW Conference in Dallas last year along with two other partners, Renee Osborne and Chandra Lynn Smith. Only Rob McClain was absent…maybe next year we all will get together.
I’m so excited about Johnnie’s debut novel, Where Treasure Hides. If we have 10 people to comment, Johnnie will give away a copy of Treasure, and I’ll give away a $10 iTune gift card!
But first…
Tell us a little about yourself, Johnnie:
I’m a Midwestern farm girl who somehow ended up in small town Florida. I love how the sun sometimes shines even when it’s raining, the smell of orange blossoms, and the ungainly sand cranes that saunter around our neighborhood. I even enjoyed our little adventure a few months ago when a young alligator took up residence beneath my car. Other than that, I love family times and road trips. I usually have a fistful of blue ink pens in my purse and four or five books I’m reading at the same time.
This year, I’m president of the Central Florida chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers and the 2013 ACFW Genesis Contest Historical Fiction Category Coordinator (whew! That’s a mouthful!)
For several years I worked for the Florida Legislature, but now I’m an at-home novelist, a grandmom, a guardian ad litem volunteer, and a women’s Bible study leader.
Were there any particular challenges in writing your debut novel?
Perhaps the biggest challenge was in deciding just how to tell the story. My hero, Ian Devlin, first came to life as a secondary character, a widower, in an unpublished manuscript. Friends of mine who read that story wanted a sequel, so I decided to write about Ian’s love story. The first draft of Where Treasure Hides has Ian sitting outside a courtroom as he struggles to adopt a Jewish orphan. The story, then, was a giant flashback about the war, the woman he loved with all his heart, and how she died.
But as I delved into the story and became better acquainted with my heroine, Alison Schuyler – well, call me a softie, but I just couldn’t kill her. So the story took a completely different journey and is more about how Alison and Ian overcome Alison’s strange fear of an old family fate, the hardship of war, and a forced separation to reach their bittersweet happy-ever-after.
How long did it take you to write Where Treasure Hides? I wrote the initial 50,000-word draft in November 2009 as part of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). It sat untouched for several months until I began rewriting it, especially the opening, so that I could enter it in the 2011 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis contest. That summer and fall I did major revisions. So I’d say a little over two years. Of course, when Tyndale requested the full manuscript, I did another two-day edit before sending it to them.
How hard was it to write a WWII story? I love the research and had already delved into different aspects of WWII for the previous manuscript. I knew I wanted to write a story about how much art the Nazis looted, but as horrendous as that is, I couldn’t neglect the more tragic loss – the millions of children who died. I saw one statistic that only ten percent of Jewish children living in Eastern Europe survived the war. That loss is staggering and tragic.
In Where Treasure Hides, one little Jewish orphan is saved because of Ian’s compassion and courage. Without giving too much of the story away, the novel hints at the tension between what a society values – one of a kind, irreplaceable works of art or uniquely created, irreplaceable children.
Where Treasure Hides has a very strong faith-based theme. What role has your faith played in your writing?
Alison’s go-to verse, Proverbs 31:25, has been my go-to verse for many, many years. I memorized it as, “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future.” In difficult times, and even in just “I need a little bit of courage” times, I’ve found strength in this verse and a reminder that eternity will be joyous.
As far as writing – and life — is concerned, I know with great certainty that God guides my journey. Disappointments and rejection happen, but He also has affirmed that I’m doing what He gave me the desire and the gift to do. I pray my writing honors Him and blesses my readers.
Now for Johnnie’s debut novel, Where Treasure Hides
Artist Alison Schuyler spends her time working in her family’s renowned art gallery, determined to avoid the curse that has followed the Schuyler clan from the Netherlands to America and back again. She’s certain that true love will only lead to tragedy—that is, until a chance meeting at Waterloo station brings Ian Devlin into her life. Drawn to the bold and compassionate British Army captain, Alison begins to question her fear of love as World War II breaks out, separating the two and drawing each into their own battles. While Ian fights for freedom on the battlefield, Alison works with the Dutch Underground to find a safe haven for Jewish children and priceless pieces of art alike. But safety is a luxury war does not allow. As time, war, and human will struggle to keep them apart, will Alison and Ian have the faith to fight for their love, or is it their fate to be separated forever?
Don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the drawing for a copy of Where Treasure Hides and a $10 iTunes gift card!
The Opening pages…
Where Treasure Hides
Johnnie Alexander Donley
Chapter One
August 1939
The stringed notes of “Rule, Britannia!” grew louder as the crowd quieted, eyes and ears straining in their search for the violin soloist. The patriotic anthem echoed through Waterloo Station’s concourse, and as the second chorus began, sporadic voices sang the lyrics. Travel- weary Brits stood a little straighter, chins lifted, as the violinist completed the impromptu performance, the last note sounding long after the strings were silenced.
Alison Schuyler gripped her leather bag and threaded her way through the crowd toward the source of the music. As the final note faded inside the hushed terminal, she squeezed between a sailor and his girl, murmuring an apology at forcing them to part, and stepped onto a bench to see over the crowd. A dark-haired boy, no more than seven or eight, held the violin close to his anemic frame. His jacket, made of a finely woven cloth, hung loosely on his thin shoulders. The matching trousers would have slipped down his hips if not for his hand-tooled leather belt.
Either the boy had lost weight or his parents had purposely provided him clothes to grow into. Alison hoped for the latter, though from the rumors she’d heard, her first assumption was all too likely. She stared at the cardboard square, secured by a thick length of twine, that the boy wore as a cheap necklace. The penciled writing on the square numbered the boy as 127.
Other children crowded near the young musician, each one dressed in their fine traveling clothes, each one labeled with cardboard and twine. Germany’s castaways, transported to England for their own safety while their desperate parents paced the floors at home and vainly wished for an end to these troublesome days.
“Now will you allow him to keep his violin?” A man’s voice, pleasant but firm, broke the spell cast over the station. The children fidgeted and a low murmur rumbled through the crowd. The speaker, dressed in the khaki uniform of a British Army officer, ignored them, his gaze intent on the railroad official overseeing the children.
“He better,” said a woman standing near Alison. “Never heard anything so lovely. And the lad not even one of the king’s subjects. I’d take him home myself—yes, I would—if I’d a bed to spare.”
Alison mentally sketched the tableau before her, pinning the details into her memory. The officer’s hand resting on the boy’s shoulder; the official, a whistle around his neck, restlessly tapping his clipboard with his pencil; the dread and hope in the boy’s eyes as he clutched his prized instrument. The jagged square that tagged his identity.
To continue reading click here.
Where to buy Where Treasure Hides:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Christian Book Distributors (ChristianBook.com)
Connect with Johnnie at:
Treasured Moments blog
Facebook
Twitter
GoodReads
Pintrest
Linked
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Comments 43
I got to meet Johnnie at last year’s ACFW, appreciate what I’ve read about her here, and love everything I’m hearing about this book. I can’t wait to hold a tangible copy in my hand. I’m sure this is the first of many excellent books, so I’m excited and am joining you, Pat, in starting the applause now.
Thanks, Dee. Wasn’t ACFW fun?! I’m back in Dallas right now visiting family and it snowed during the night. Not a sight I get to see in Florida. It’s lovely.
Author
Dee, thanks for dropping in! Didn’t we have fun in Dallas?
So very excited for you, Johnnie! I look forward to reading your book.
Thanks, Michelle. I hope you’ll love the story.
Author
Michelle, it’s a great book!
This is an exquisite story crafted by a gifted storyteller. I’m blessed to have Johnnie as both a friend and a critique partner. Johnnie, what does your daily writing routine look like? You mentioned that this book was born through NaNoWriMo, and I’ve been so impressed to watch you complete others through it as well. How many NaNo novels have you completed?
Hi, Renee. As of this past November, I’ve completed five NaNoNovels. The first is hidden away. The second, simply known as Shelby’s story, gets pulled out for revising then put away again. However, it’s opening pages were awarded a My Book Therapy Frasier Bronze Medalist last year.
The third became When Sparrow Falls (unpublished) and the fourth became Where Treasure Hides. The last one is the proposed sequel to Treasure, and is tentatively titled What Time Reveals. Of course, the NaNoNovels are messy, messy drafts that I don’t want anyone to see!
Author
Five?!! I haven’t completed one NaNo!! Thanks for asking that question, Renee. I had no idea. Wow.
Nano forces me to write fast which is not an easy thing for me to do. The benefit is that I can see what works and what doesn’t, all the plot holes, and the weaknesses in character development. Plus it gives me something to work from. November is a crazy time to try to write 50,000 words, but the holidays just add to the frenzy.
“Exquisite story crafted by a gifted storyteller…” Well, there’s a hearty AMEN from me with that statement, Johnnie.
Oh, Cheryl! Thanks so much.
And thanks to Renee for that touching compliment. You all have just made my day even brighter.
Author
I’m so glad you liked it, Cheryl! Johnnie is an amazing writer.
Congratulations on your debut novel, Johnnie – it’s sounds lovely and I’m looking forward to reading it. Best of luck with your writing career!
Jen Turano
Author
Jen, it’s a great book. Thanks for stopping by.
Jen, thank you for your encouragement. The story means a great deal to me, and I very much hope you enjoy it.
Wishing Johnnie continued success and many happy sales!
Thank you so much, Cecy. Glad you stopped by!
Author
Cecy, thanks for stoppig by.
Author
Thank you, Cecy! Appreciate you stopping by. Wishing you much success as well.
Thank you for drawing my name. Can’t wait to use my amazon card. I enjoyed reading the blog today. Maybe I will buy the book with my card
Congrats on your win, Carole. Naturally I’d love it for you to use your card to purchase Treasure! 🙂 Thanks for commenting.
Author
Congrats, Carole. That would be a great way to use the card! Or….maybe you’ll win it.
That cover is so beautiful, Johnnie! Can’t wait to read your book!
Melissa, I totally agree about the cover. Kristen Bakken is the designer, and she did a lovely job. Hope you enjoy the story!
Author
I love the cover, too, Melissa….And it is a great book.
WWII is a great time period. I loved the movie, Pearl Harbor. The one with Ben Affleck in it. Good luck with your book!
Patricia, I am fascinated by WWII. The more I learn the less I know 🙂 Thanks!
Author
Thanks for stopping by, Patricia.
Johnnie…so excited to read your book! The first page has me hooked!:) I can say I knew you back when…in the good old college years. Congrats…so proud of you..hope to see more books in the future!
Author
Teresa, so you knew Johnnie in college…anything we should know? Seriously, Where Treasure Hides is awesome!
Teresa, how sweet of you to stop by . . . and not say anything about my freshman foolishness! 🙂 I’m so glad to hear you’re hooked. Let me know what you think of the ending.
I am excited to read this book! I love reading about the WWI and WWII time periods.
Hi, Renn. I think WWII is my favorite historical period. There’s just so much to learn — a lot of courage and a lot of heartbreak. But I’m interested in WWI, too, especially after watching Downton Abbey and reading Anne Perry’s five-book series that take place during that time. Highly recommend them. Thanks for your interest in Treasure. I hope you love it!
Author
Renn, so glad you stopped by. Where Treasure Hides is a wonderful book!
Thanks for sharing the first pages of your book, Johnnie! I have to admit, I am a slow-warmer to books, so usually I don’t get hooked until well into Chapter 2 or 3, if I get hooked at all! But these first pages are intriguing and your writing is a joy to read. I look forward to adding your book to my TRL. Congratulations!
I can’t believe you have done 5 NaNoWriMos! I just finished my first NaNoWriMo last year and I am working on editing my manuscript. It’s a slow-go. I can’t even imagine doing four more… so I’m not going to think about that right now!
Thanks PT for introducing us to Johnnie!
Author
Melissa, to me Johnnie’s writing is so…so…flowing. I love to read her stories. And it amazes me that anyone has done 5 NANO’s and lived to tell about it. lol thanks for stopping by!
Yes! That’s one of the first thing I noticed, that I was able to glide through her words with ease. I aim for that kind of fluidity in my own writing and so I really admire those who pull it off.
Also, I grow tired of flowerly or overwritten language especially when it’s done page after page, after page. I like her balance. It’s unpretentious, yet vivid. I don’t get the feeling — as I have with other writers — that she looked up every verb and adjective in the thesaurus and chose the most uncommon options.
I’m looking forward to reading it.
Melissa, congrats on your first Nano! What genre are you writing? Please keep in mind that I’ve done five Nanos over ten years. It’s just kind of exhilerating though also exhausting. And thanks for the sweet compliment. It means so much to know you were pulled into the story right away. Music to a writer’s ears!
Thanks for asking, Johnnie. I’m such a newbie, I’m not even sure what my genre is. It’s a mix between mystery/crime fiction and contemporary women’s fiction. So whatever that is! I would say the main story is about a young woman letting go of the past and finding her self-worth, but it is the mystery/crime that brings her to the breaking point, and ultimately to the healing point.
I feel better knowing you haven’t done a NaNo every year for 5 years. That would do me in for sure! After I finished this one I thought, I will have this one edited and another one plotted out before the next one. Ha.. not sure that is going to pan out.
Congratulations again and it was nice “meeting” you!
Melissa, nice “meeting” you, too. I’m grateful for your feedback and thank you so much for your kind words. Keep working on that contemporary women/mystery/crime fiction. And if you do NaNo next year, look me up so we can be writing buddies. Thanks again and my best to you on your writing journey.
Thanks, Johnnie. I will definitely look you up next time I NaNo!
Many blessings!